Cappings colour

[jonnybeegood]

Just out of curiosity, most cappings in the BB are light brown, mine at the moment are bright yellow, presumably from pollen & bees walking over them, but why are the super cappings still white?

 

[kazmcc]

Less traffic I suppose.

 

[kazmcc]

Or..........little mats on the top side of the queen excluder, where they wipe their feet

 

[sherwood]

workers have walked across the brood cells to a far greater amount than the super frames.In fact most of the nectar transferred to the super frames is done so by worker bees that have never left the hive whereas brood frames have usually been walked by flying bees bringing n pollen and nectar therefore more likely to have dirty feet

 

[jonnybeegood]

But you dont see white cappings at all in the BB even when first capped, is it different wax? Thinner wax?

 

[wessexmario]

the cocoons colour the BB cells, and the bees use propolis to polish them in readiness for the next egg.
Probably more drone poo on the lower BB cells too.

 

[kazmcc]

Just found this

Langstroth wrote in 1905
“The caps of the brood-cells, made of pollen and wax, are
undoubtedly porous enough to allow the air to reach the
larva.” (Langstroth, Hive and the Honeybee)

The honey cappings are made from pure wax, plus less traffic trampling over them

 

[Erichalfbee]

But you dont see white cappings at all in the BB even when first capped, is it different wax? Thinner wax?

Brood cappings contain propolis and pollen and let air through. The propolis would give them that biscuit colour.
Honey cappings have a layer of air underneath which gives them that translucent appearance. In time they sink and they look darker....look at old winter stores.
Wax drawn on dandelion is always a vivid yellow, by the way

 

[jonnybeegood]

Brood cappings contain propolis and pollen and let air through. The propolis would give them that biscuit colour.
Honey cappings have a layer of air underneath which gives them that translucent appearance. In time they sink and they look darker....look at old winter stores.
Wax drawn on dandelion is always a vivid yellow, by the way

Yes mine are certainly on Dandys looking at all the orange pollen, wouldnt you think the cappings would be orange? Although at the minute its about equal with yellow & orange coming in.
That makes total sense brood cappings being porous & super cappings not.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

It looks to me that the cappings age in color over the sealed period as air passes backwards and forwards through it.

 

[jonnybeegood]

some pollen pics for you.

 

[bontbee]

Brood cappings contain propolis and pollen and let air through.

I understood that part of the cocoon from the last pupa is also recycled and incorporated in the brood capping so that it is porous. (The cappings darken as they age because of lots of "dirty" little feet).

 

[BeeJayBee]

It isn't just dirty feet, it's also waste from the developing larva.

 

[Swarm]

But you dont see white cappings at all in the BB even when first capped, is it different wax? Thinner wax?

Freshly capped honey in the brood chamber? Of course you do.

 

[jonnybeegood]

Freshly capped honey in the brood chamber? Of course you do.

I was talking about brood cappings in the BB

 

[BeeJayBee]

most cappings in the BB are light brown, mine at the moment are bright yellow, presumably from pollen & bees walking over them, but why are the super cappings still white?
and
I was talking about brood cappings in the BB

Brood cappings are not the same shape as honey cappings. They are a different colour and texture because they are made of a mix of pollen, propolis and wax.

Honey cappings are pure wax. Some honey cappings appear white because there is a tiny air gap beneath the wax.